March 12, 2019
Media Contact:
Scott L. Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Today, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, along with Police Chief Lisa Myers and Fire Chief Christine Uhlhorn, announced new enhancements to the county’s opioid alert protocol. The current system uses social media alerts to keep the public informed and raise awareness about overdoses in Howard County. The new updates include a more targeted use of data to give localized alerts, “bad batch” alerts to help prevent lethal overdoses, and regional alerts to strengthen prevention measures. Yesterday’s alert from the Howard County Police Department can be found here. The County Executive’s video announcement can be found here.
“Howard County is known as a place of wealth, opportunity, and safe streets, but we are not immune from the tragedy of addiction and the opioid crisis,” said Ball. “That is why we have a responsibility to deliver accurate and timely alerts to help prevent overdoses and future deaths.”
The new alert protocol will use all available data to alert specific hot-spots, so that residents receive the most relevant notices for their community. The county is also now equipped to issue alerts and warnings for a possible ‘bad batch’ crisis in Howard County. If tainted opioids end up in the community, they threaten to create a sudden spike in lethal overdoses. The proactive updates will serve as a prevention measure, widening our scope to also include alerts about bad batches in other parts of the region.
In addition to the alert protocol, the Ball administration has taken a range of actions to address opioid addiction in Howard County. Ball previously announced a $1 million dollar grant from the State of Maryland to establish 24-hour crisis services at the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center. The County is also opening a 16-bed halfway house to enable those in recovery to integrate back into the community. Workforce Development received a small grant for opioid peer recovery specialists to help get people back on their feet and address their addiction.
The Howard County Health Department will continue working to be the leader in addressing the public health crisis of addiction. Information on seeking help for yourself or others can be found here.
"These new alerts will serve as another harm reduction strategy to help save a life and allow an opportunity for those who might be in need of substance misuse services to access the help that can start them on a path to recovery," said Dr. Maura Rossman, Howard County Health Officer.
“We look forward to collaborating with our state and county partners as we continue to find even better solutions,” added Ball. “With these updates, in addition to our existing alerts, Howard County government will continue to keep you informed so we can fight this crisis together.”